I'm spinning my wheels here, well, actually I'm not.
August 25, 2015 7:57 PM Subscribe
I take sweaters apart for their yarn and sometimes the yarn I get is unspun. I want to spin it. What would be a good way to do this?
So, like this person here, I take old thrift store sweaters apart for the yarn. I mean, where else can you get over 1000 yards of the same color of yarn for $1? and cotton to boot? But it's not just about saving money, because there's a lot of effort that goes into unraveling a sweater and harvesting the yarn.
Really, some of it is that it's green -- reduce, reuse, recycle and all of that. And sometimes I do it for people who don't want to do it for themselves (yep, I charge them), and sometimes I sell the yarn... But here's the thing. Every once in a while, I'll come across a sweater that has unspun yarn. Which I totally won't see until I've started unraveling it. Yep, it's just a bunch of strands that was knitted together. It's usually cotton, and good cotton yarn is difficult to find. And I generally pick sweaters for their color and the content of the yarn, so it's not like I don't want to use the yarn. I just want to spin it so it's more user friendly. So far, I've been using a drop spindle, but that is a long and tedious process, especially with the lighter weight yarns.
Spinning wheels are expensive! I mean... wow. I can't really afford one right now, so what I'm wondering is this. Is there something between a drop spindle, which costs less than $20, and a spinning wheel, the cheapest I've found is over $200, that will help me spin the yarns I come across that are unspun? And will a spinning wheel even do what I need it to do? I don't even know. I've tried googling it, but no one else seems to have this problem.
So, like this person here, I take old thrift store sweaters apart for the yarn. I mean, where else can you get over 1000 yards of the same color of yarn for $1? and cotton to boot? But it's not just about saving money, because there's a lot of effort that goes into unraveling a sweater and harvesting the yarn.
Really, some of it is that it's green -- reduce, reuse, recycle and all of that. And sometimes I do it for people who don't want to do it for themselves (yep, I charge them), and sometimes I sell the yarn... But here's the thing. Every once in a while, I'll come across a sweater that has unspun yarn. Which I totally won't see until I've started unraveling it. Yep, it's just a bunch of strands that was knitted together. It's usually cotton, and good cotton yarn is difficult to find. And I generally pick sweaters for their color and the content of the yarn, so it's not like I don't want to use the yarn. I just want to spin it so it's more user friendly. So far, I've been using a drop spindle, but that is a long and tedious process, especially with the lighter weight yarns.
Spinning wheels are expensive! I mean... wow. I can't really afford one right now, so what I'm wondering is this. Is there something between a drop spindle, which costs less than $20, and a spinning wheel, the cheapest I've found is over $200, that will help me spin the yarns I come across that are unspun? And will a spinning wheel even do what I need it to do? I don't even know. I've tried googling it, but no one else seems to have this problem.
Best answer: What you're doing is not quite spinning, but plying; spinning is the part where fluffy fiber turns into one strand of yarn and plying is the part where multiple strands are twisted together. But yes, a spinning wheel is the thing that'll do what you want. The way to pay under $200 is to watch Craigslist for somebody selling one who just barely knows what it is, and this can be tricky because people who don't know better try to sell antiques with half their irreplaceable parts missing.
On preview, pretty much everything stowaway says, including that spindle plying can go faster if you practice a ton!
posted by clavicle at 8:16 PM on August 25, 2015
On preview, pretty much everything stowaway says, including that spindle plying can go faster if you practice a ton!
posted by clavicle at 8:16 PM on August 25, 2015
Are you on Ravelry? If you have an account (they're free), you can ask in one of the spinning forums. I bet they could help you. Someone might have a spinning wheel for sale as well.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:18 PM on August 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:18 PM on August 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Your best bet for an inexpensive spinning device that is cheaper than a wheel but less labor intensive than a drop spindle is probably a kick spindle.
posted by antimony at 8:25 PM on August 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by antimony at 8:25 PM on August 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
Kick spindle.
(I've never used one, so can't report on how efficient it is, and have heard mixed reviews. But hey, that page suggests it for plying.)
posted by clavicle at 8:28 PM on August 25, 2015
(I've never used one, so can't report on how efficient it is, and have heard mixed reviews. But hey, that page suggests it for plying.)
posted by clavicle at 8:28 PM on August 25, 2015
Response by poster: A kick spindle might be just the thing I'm looking for! Thank you!
posted by patheral at 8:49 PM on August 25, 2015
posted by patheral at 8:49 PM on August 25, 2015
Kick spindles are way, way slower than a drop spindle. It's basically the exact same form factor as a drop spindle but the twist insertion is much slower. The place where spindles actually shine vs. wheels is in fine high twist spinning and plying, because the rate of twist insertion for wheels is also slower than spindles (on spinning wheels, the advantages are that it's more comfortable to sit, and wind-on is faster for everyone but very experienced spindlers.) If slowness of fine yarns is your problem I'm not sure a wheel is going to solve it.
There are other types of spinning tools, such as kick spindles, Mayan spinners, and charkhas, which are often cheaper than wheels, but each of those has a sweet spot that's nowhere near what you're looking for.
In between price points:
Build a Dodec
Luck into an inexpensive working wheel (take an experienced spinner with you because in the 70's people built nonfunctional decorative wheels, and unknowledgeable people will say to themselves "the wheel turns around, so it works!")
Rent a wheel from a local spinning guild. Every guild I've been to has been full of people falling all over themselves when a new person comes in, and they would be an excellent resource for:
Lessons, because I bet you can get way more efficient at the spindle. Books and videos are ok (I'd recommend Respect the Spindle; I have the book and have taken lessons with the author and so will recommend the DVD sight unseen), but a real live person will be able to get you faster at the end of an hour, I guarantee. If you do talk to someone about lessons, be specific about what you're looking for and ask them how experienced they are with spindles if you're interested at getting faster on them, because a disappointing number of spinners think of spindles as "beginner tools," and they never go back to them once they move to the wheel, even teachers. And some teachers might be snobby about the fact that you're plying but not spinning. The ravelry group Spindlers might be able to find you someone in the area (I'm tchemgrrl over there as well, though not very active lately.)
posted by tchemgrrl at 5:28 AM on August 26, 2015 [3 favorites]
There are other types of spinning tools, such as kick spindles, Mayan spinners, and charkhas, which are often cheaper than wheels, but each of those has a sweet spot that's nowhere near what you're looking for.
In between price points:
Build a Dodec
Luck into an inexpensive working wheel (take an experienced spinner with you because in the 70's people built nonfunctional decorative wheels, and unknowledgeable people will say to themselves "the wheel turns around, so it works!")
Rent a wheel from a local spinning guild. Every guild I've been to has been full of people falling all over themselves when a new person comes in, and they would be an excellent resource for:
Lessons, because I bet you can get way more efficient at the spindle. Books and videos are ok (I'd recommend Respect the Spindle; I have the book and have taken lessons with the author and so will recommend the DVD sight unseen), but a real live person will be able to get you faster at the end of an hour, I guarantee. If you do talk to someone about lessons, be specific about what you're looking for and ask them how experienced they are with spindles if you're interested at getting faster on them, because a disappointing number of spinners think of spindles as "beginner tools," and they never go back to them once they move to the wheel, even teachers. And some teachers might be snobby about the fact that you're plying but not spinning. The ravelry group Spindlers might be able to find you someone in the area (I'm tchemgrrl over there as well, though not very active lately.)
posted by tchemgrrl at 5:28 AM on August 26, 2015 [3 favorites]
I have a kick spindle that I would be willing to part with cheaply, because, as tchemgrrl says, it is slow, and I have other means for spinning/plying that I enjoy more. Memail me if interested. I got mine from this etsy shop, and they have a number of things that might work for you, at a range of prices.
There is a new electric wheel that is just making good on its Kickstarter campaign, and then supposedly they will be for sale for just under $200. They have open source files so you can also make your own given all the materials you need.
If you happen to already have a lot of Lego and Mindstorms, there is this cool idea, and I've seen other DIY ideas, as well.
posted by freezer cake at 8:47 AM on August 26, 2015
There is a new electric wheel that is just making good on its Kickstarter campaign, and then supposedly they will be for sale for just under $200. They have open source files so you can also make your own given all the materials you need.
If you happen to already have a lot of Lego and Mindstorms, there is this cool idea, and I've seen other DIY ideas, as well.
posted by freezer cake at 8:47 AM on August 26, 2015
I know you're moving away from the wheel idea, but just in case you're cruising Craigslist anyway: do NOT be tempted by antiques. They'll be cheap, but it's very unlikely that they'll work. A lot of fake spinning wheels were built over the last century. The spinning community on Ravelry even has a phrase for them: "Spinning Wheel-Shaped Objects." There are always several on my local Craigslist.
Here's a good guide for newer wheels (and the author links to her 30-minute video on buying antique wheels and making sure they work, in the unlikely event one finds a real wheel): http://abbysyarns.com/2008/12/choosing-your-first-spinning-wheel/
posted by liet at 11:16 AM on August 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
Here's a good guide for newer wheels (and the author links to her 30-minute video on buying antique wheels and making sure they work, in the unlikely event one finds a real wheel): http://abbysyarns.com/2008/12/choosing-your-first-spinning-wheel/
posted by liet at 11:16 AM on August 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I would totally be on board with getting a small wheel, that electric wheel is the bees knees actually. Way cool, but alas slightly out of my price range and sold out. Bummer. I do want to get into spinning my own wool eventually (we're gonna buy goats and everything) but for now, it's just the plying business I'm interested in. Thanks y'all for the advice.
posted by patheral at 5:31 PM on August 26, 2015
posted by patheral at 5:31 PM on August 26, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also, when adding twist to a yarn, you run the risk of the yarn being unbalanced. It's been a while so I don't think I can properly explain S- and Z- twist ... but basically if you have a yarn that has only been spun in one direction, when you knit with it the knitted fabric will have a noticeable slant/lean to all the stitches. Easily compensated for by making the yarn multi-ply.
But, yes, spinning wheels are more expensive than drop spindles, because they do speed up the process a ton. I think if you get truly competent with a drop spindle you can go pretty fast. (I am not that competent.) It takes practice so it can be something that you can do without giving it any concentration. Maybe haunt craigslist? Sometimes the older models of the Ashford spinning wheel can pop up for pretty cheap.
posted by stowaway at 8:12 PM on August 25, 2015